The Adventures Of An Artist.

Two big “C’s” to avoid- Criticism and Condemnation

A tendency to criticize the actions of others, can be a real hindrance to our inner joy.

We are all guilty of doing this, and I am the first one to admit that what I wrote here, I learnt from my own experience.
We must learn through experimental growing, to let this bad habit go.

We all know that if we constantly criticize our friends, partners or children, we will soon have very rocky relationships, or no relationships at all with them.

Even if we do not voice out our opinions, criticism can harm us by robing us of inner peace.
The good news is that it is a learnt habit and with realization and deliberate intentions, we can get rid of it.

What we may not be aware of, is how being critical and condemning people we do NOT KNOW in the world, effect us also.

We criticize everyone and everything in the world, that is not in alignment with our own ideas and beliefs.

We criticize politicians, powerful personalities that do not use their power for good, artists that make art we do not like, musicians that make music we dislike, bosses that are not sensitive or wise, people who rise to position of power and show no vision or little intelligence, and many more.

This attitude of constant criticizing, becomes a bad habit that will inevitably extend itself without our awareness, to situations where it is NOT appropriate as well.

The habit of criticizing and condemning others, dry up the sweetness in our hearts, which is the very juice of life.

Life is gentle, sweet, kind and full of LOVE.
Yet we may not be aware of this gentleness, because we have forgotten how to cultivate the same qualities within our own hearts.

Look around you….
Notice the fluffy clouds…. The gentle rays of the sun…. How gentle the petals of a flower feel between your fingers… How sweet the fragrance of a rose is…….How soft the fur of a cat feels…. how soft and gentle the air gliding into your lungs feel…. The world is gentle, kind and soft and full of love, just as these are….

We live in a world filled with people who are each on their own experimental life’s journey.
Each person faces many sets of challenges, and we must be understanding and tolerant.

Anger, when it arises in us no matter if we think that it rises for a “justified” reason, only serves to keep us in darkness, and to blind us to the beauty, gentleness and miracle of life.

If we do not actively cultivate gentleness in us, we will not become aware of how much of it exist in the world.
We will be blind to it.

If we desire to progress on our own journey, we must cultivate an attitude of gentle equanimity towards others.
We must be understanding and develop a generosity of spirit, towards those who currently are not able to see the light.

Some may argue that criticism is necessary.
That without being able to discern what is good and what is bad, we will never progress as a society.
If we do not call a bad behavior by its name, how can we change anything?

If we do not call corruption bad, how can we bring a stop to it?
If we do not discern between what is good for us and what is bad or damaging, how can we choose what is good for us and stay away from what brings us unhappiness, ill health and misfortune?….

If we do not identify a criminal behavior as destructive, how can we isolate it? Punish it? eradicate it?

These are all valid concerns, when talking about letting go of the habit of criticism and condemnation.

But they will NOT help solve anything…. Only LOVE will.

If we look into the root of every criminal behavior, into the action of every bully, every corrupt politician, we will find the trauma- the LACK OF LOVE, that caused it.

And as we all know, you change the world by changing YOURSELF.

By not repeating and spreading anxiety, fear, limitation and unhappiness around you, you help change the world.

By becoming more loving and vast, you help spread it into the world.

By teaching others by example, that there is no lack, no limitations, you spread the concept of abundance into the world.

By teaching others how to love, and by bringing joy into your own heart, you teach others how to do the same.

Crime has been around since the concept of limited supply and lack of love, was introduced to the human mind.

Crime is still around today, because you do not fix anything by isolating, punishing or killing the individual that committed a crime.

In fact, by killing a person who killed another, we only become killers ourselves.

Death penalty and prisons, are not the solution… ONLY LOVE IS….

But when I say LOVE, I do not refer to kissing and hugging criminals, or random people on the street.

Loving others means learning how to be a LOVING person, by not criticizing and condemning those around us…
It means being tolerant, calm, and cultivating inner contentment.

It means being gentle and kind, and extending that to others, so they can feel peace, acceptance and love, when coming in contact with us.

It is fear and horror, that cause all the unhappiness and crime in the world.

It can ONLY be remedied by love.

By cultivating love and by extending it, we change a pattern that kept the world stuck in the dark ages for so long……